Tuesday, December 20, 2011

A reputed Genovese gangster accused of shaking down a Staten Island caterer now claims he’s the real victim.
Frank DiMattina is charged in Brooklyn Federal Court with extorting and threatening caterer Walter Bowers with a gun.
But the alleged mobster filed a lawsuit in Staten Island Supreme Court on Monday, accusing Bowers of taking a bite out of his business by using his catering hall’s name.
DiMattina sold Ariana’s, his Staten Island catering hall, to Bowers in 2010, and the two agreed Bowers would change the name after one year, the lawsuit says.
After a year, Bowers continued to display the name Ariana’s “in the forms of signage on the facade . . . logo, print advertisements and a website,” the suit alleges. It also accuses Bowers of fraud and breach of contract.
DiMattina’s lawyer filed the complaint only weeks before the start of his client’s criminal trial.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jack Dennehy said in court Tuesday that DiMattina had initially threatened Bowers over a competing bid for a contract to cater lunches at a high school, and the terror campaign escalated over the business name dispute.
The windows of the catering hall bearing the name Ariana’s were smashed, the sign was ripped down and tar was splattered on the outside of Bowers’ home and automobile, Dennehy said.
Defense lawyer John Meringolo contends that the dispute is a civil matter, not criminal. It is highly unusual for mobsters to try to settle a beef in court.
DiMattina, 43, also owns a catering hall in New Jersey called Ariana’s and has pitched a reality show about himself called “Banquet Boyz.”
The feds have alleged he reports to Genovese soldier John (Johnny Sausage) Barbuto.
Bowers could not immediately be reached for comment.